Narinjara News, November 16, 2022

An artillery shell fired by the 539th Battalionof the Military Council based in Kyauktaw Kansaut in Rakhine Stateexploded in Chaung Tu Village, killing 3 men in their 50s and injuring 4others.

A villager said that around noon on November 16,an artillery shell directly hit a house in the center of the village whilepeople were gathering and talking there.

After some gunshots were heard from the side ofSanwin Hill in Kyauktaw, the 539th Battalion bombarded the area and a shell fell straight intoChaung Tu Village.

A villager reported, "At around 12:00 in theafternoon, a shell directly hit people who were huddled on the eaves of ahouse. They shotdeliberately into the village. We were all very shocked”, hesaid.

The same villager added “About 20 gunshots wereheard from Sanwin Hill at around 10:40 AM. The Military Councilsoldiers were stationed on that hill. The exact cause of the gunshots is unknown.Shortly after the noise of gunfire, the 539th Battalion started firingartillery and a shell landed in the village”, thevillager added.

The deceased were U Aung Kyi Maung (53), U PhyuTha Tun (60), and U Khin Maung (55). They were directly hit by anartillery shell and died on the spot.

The wounded people were Ma Aye Nu Yi, aschoolgirl, U Maung Maung Htay, Ma Aye Than Nu and Daw May Thar Sein and allwere transported to hospital. After the artillery round hit the village andkilled people, the villagers of Chaung Tu were in great panic and some of themfled their homes.

Colonel Kyaw Thura, Border Security Minister ofthe Military Council of Rakhine State, was contacted byphone regarding theartillery fire but there was no answer.

At least 10 people were killed and dozens injuredwithin a month as the Military Council conducted deliberateartillery bombardments on residential villages.